Ankle joint and reinforcing member for pneumatic feet



April 1943. c. CAMPBELL 2,440,075

led April 24, 1946 Hczrry V C. Camp,bll

Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED- -smrns PAT-ENT OFFICE ANKLE JOINT AND REINFORCENG MEMBER FOR PNEUMATIC FEET Harry C. Campbell, Youngstown, Ohio, assgnor to The Campbell-Edwards Pneumatic Artifical Font Company, Youngstown, Ohio Applcation April 24, 1946, Serial No. 664,526

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to artificial limbs and more particularly ankle joints of artificial legs.

The primary objent of this invention resdes in the provsion of an akle joint for artificial feet of the penumatic type adapted to be so molded or otherwise disposed in the feet that maximum cushionng of the feet Wil1 preval.

Another object of this invention resides in the particular construction of the angle joint.

Wth these and other objects in view this invention resides in certain novel features nf construction and arrangement of elements to be hereinafter more partcularly set; forth in the specification, llustrated in the accompanying drawng a.nd pointed out in the appended claims and, although this dsclosure depcts my present cnnceptinn of the invention, the right s reserved. to report tn such changes in construction and arrangement of elements as come wiithin the spirit of the nventinn.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this aDDlcation;

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the lnwer part of an artficial 1eg wth a pneumatc font attached thereto by the ankle joint forming the subject matter nf this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the 1ower member nf the angle joint.

Fig. 3 is a, similar view of the upper member of the ankle joint.

In the present llustratinn of this nventon the letter L designates the lower porton of an artificial font cnnstructed of any suitable material and havng secured thereto, by a hinged ankle jnint 5 consisting of upper and 1ower members 6 and I, an artificial font F preferably of the pneumatc rubber type, hnwever, the font may be formed of any suitable material in which the lower member of the joint can be molded or otherwise secured. in a. fashion similar to tha.t herein disclosed. Said lower member 1 s of substantalhr inverted. Y-shape configuratnn.

The upper ankle joint member is herein disclosed in the form of a T bolt 8 having ts stem 9 threaded for securng t to the 1eg by a. nut III or other suitable element and its cross arms Il remnvably attached to its opposte end in any sultable manner permitting it to be slid through a cylindrical head. I2 fnrmed on the outer end of the staff portion nf the lnwer member above the upper surface of the font. Sad head is provded wth an annularly disposed slot l3 at ts media1 point to permt the font to rock on the arms Il wth natural font actnn in movement o! the1eg.

The aforesaid head I2 is formed by looping the medal portnn Of a. strap of strong metal upon itself and securing the abutting portions |4 thereof together by rivets l5, welded or the like With the npposite end pnrtons or arms |6 and I! thereof bent at approximately righi. angles thereto and. surrounding the upper, front and rea.r walls of an a.r combartment A formed in the font. The end. portion or arm I6 extends forwardly of the head 12 and conforms approximately to the shape nf the front porton of the font whle the portion end I! extends rearwardly thereof and is of substantially U-shape configurat-nn surrounding the rear porton of the air cnmpartmenf; A with its free end H spaced from the free end of the end porton Iii so as to permt the font to bend. and a.ir compartment to absnrb shock and also cushon the weight of the individual wearng the artificial 1eg. Said free end I'I' acts to support the Weight on the 1ower a,nkle joint while the ogee front end pnrton l6 permts a certain degree of flexiblty nf the front portion 01" the rubber font.

With this invention fully described it s man- 26 fest that an a.nk1e joint for artificial 1egs s provded which will readily permt natural a.ctnn of an artificial font thereon and, through the particular construction and arrang-ement of the 1ower member thereof, it is rigidly molded in a pneumatic foot wthout destrot ing the cushioning effe'cts thereof.

I-aving thus described. my inventon what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The cnmbinatinn wth a.n artifical leg, a pneumatin font, a lower ankle joint member molded in the font and surrnunding the upper pnrtinn of the air compartment therein, a. substantially cylindrical head formed on the 1ower ankle joint member disposed outward of the upper surface of the font wth ts bore extendng laterally of the font, an upper ankle joint member of substantially T-shape configuration removably secured to the lower porton of the 1eg by its stem and having its arms removably and. pvotally disposed in the hea,d.

2. In an article of manufacture in the form of the lower member of an artificial font joint formed from a strap of metal having ts medal pnrtinnslotted and looped and senured. together nwardly of the 1onped portion thereof wth one end therenf bent forwardly on a. substantially ogee curve and its nther end bent rearwardly thereof into substantally U-shape cnnfiguration a.nd terminating in spaced relation to the extremty nf the first mentinned end porton.

3. The combination wlth a pneumatic artificial font having an air compartment formed therein, REFERENCES CITED and a suhstantially invarted Y-shape ankle jolnt The following references are of record. in the member embedded in the font and surrounding fil f thi p enti the upper, front a,nd 'rear walls of the air compartment with its inner ends spaced and terml- UNITED E PATENTS nating adja.cent the front ami real walls of the Numbel Name Date air compartment and its staff extending out- 534,004 LY0nS lm 8 7 wardly through the upper surface of the font 963.796 Muellel 5' 1 9 with a. loop therein. m

HARRY c. CAMPBELI... 

